Abstract:

Lexical and terminological knowledge is one of the core components of a foreign language professional communicative competence. However, specialized vocabulary acquisition presents a number of challenges due to the differences in structural and semantic characteristics of L1 and L2 terminological systems. In recent years, some innovative approaches and techniques have been used in the presentation of new vocabulary items in the courses of English for specific purposes (ESP) taken by the students of Bauman Moscow State Technical University (BMSTU). Most of these techniques are means which tend to be associated with blended learning, student-centered approach and peer interaction.

This paper aims to discuss the use of the flipped classroom model in teaching subject-specific terminology to the Master’s degree students of BMSTU Engineering Business and Management Department. The flipped learning experience involved 46 attending students and lasted for three months during the first semester of their ESP course. The course covered three interrelated thematic units (Sources of Innovation, Innovation and the Development Process, and Feasibility Studies) and included diverse lexical material. The language of these business areas uses a variety of genres and styles, terms borrowed from specialized technical fields, buzzwords, neologisms, abbreviations, compounds and a large number of metaphors and idiomatic expressions.

The present study is organized around four aspects: selecting materials for outside-of-class preparation and placing them online, highlighting challenges in specialist vocabulary acquisition, using effective scaffolding tools for in-class vocabulary activities and after-class extended learning, and carrying out students’ terminological competence assessment.

First, we research and analyze authentic materials which were selected and integrated into the university open source learning platform, including both subject-related information (lectures and presentations, podcasts, graphs, diagrams, statistics in charts, and relevant articles) and sources of terminological knowledge (corpora of business and technical vocabulary, on-line dictionaries and visual thesauri).

Secondly, we consider the students’ needs in relation to their terminological competence. The paper outlines issues and challenges of specialist vocabulary acquisition caused by several common types of terminological non-equivalence, including ‘lacunas’ (terms which are not lexicalized in L2), culture-specific terms, semantically complex lexical items, and differences in connotation. It touches upon the issue of decoding different types of abbreviations (such as initialisms, acronyms, clippings, and blends) and metaphorical concepts.Furthermore, the paper discusses the rationale of using scaffolding tools for in-class vocabulary activities and exercises for expansion, including lexical networks, graphic organizers, concept maps, content clues, substitution tables, etc.

The results of the students’ terminological competence assessment have cast light on the degree to which the various term-knowledge aspects are captured. The findings confirm a positive effect of the flipped classroom approach on the students’ terminological competence as well as their motivation to extend ESP learning beyond the class through collaborative activities and autonomous research.

Keywords:

Flipped learning, terminological competence, English for specific purposes.